Read Online Gathering Shadows by Nancy Mehl - Free Book Online Page B

smiled at his use of the word our. “Zac, you need to think about this carefully. If Ed finds out I didn’t follow orders, we could lose our jobs. Maybe you should head home. Tell Ed you’re sick or something.”
    He shook his head. “No. I want to stay. For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m doing something that matters.” He cocked his head to the side and gave me a lopsided grin. “You and me, Wynter. Sherlock and Watson. Nick and Nora Charles. Castle and Beckett.”
    I chuckled. “We may be more like Laurel and Hardy, but I appreciate it, Zac. Really. I’ll be careful. Try to protect both our jobs.”
    â€œThat’s good enough for me.” He folded his arms across his chest. “Is there anyone else who could help us? Someone who might know something about Ryan’s abduction?”
    â€œJust one person, but I dread calling him.”
    Zac raised his eyebrows. “Who is that?”
    â€œMy dad. He knows everything about the case, and his memories of Ryan are much clearer than mine. But I really don’t want to contact him unless I have to.”
    â€œOkay. Whatever you say.”
    Zac reached for his coffee cup and took a quick sip. Then he set his cup down on the table. “So, Sherlock. The game is afoot?”
    I smiled at him and nodded, but doubts filled my heart. HadI just made a serious mistake? Could I really count on Zac? For a woman who didn’t trust many people, I’d just delivered myself into the hands of a man who had tried to betray me once already.
    My hand shook slightly as I took a sip of cold coffee. I’d made myself vulnerable, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit.

Chapter Eight

    â€œDo you think Martha will keep quiet about the pictures?” I asked Reuben. We’d stopped for lunch at The Whistle Stop Café after a walking tour of Sanctuary. Reuben had introduced me to several people who’d agreed to let me interview them. I was charmed by the small town and its eclectic residents. It was clear that this piece of our story would be very interesting. Boiling it down to a few minutes would be tough.
    The Whistle Stop was almost an exact duplicate of The Oil Lamp, except the owner, who seemed to be working all alone in the restaurant, was softer and sweeter than Randi. And when she went to the kitchen to cook, she didn’t glower at me the way August had.
    I’d left Zac at Esther’s. He’d phoned Reuben in person after breakfast and confessed to taking and sending the pictures. I knew it was hard for him, but to his credit, he was completely honest and took full responsibility for his actions. However, he wasn’t quite ready to face Reuben yet and had elected to skip lunch to do some online research about Ryan’s disappearance. Since I was still full from breakfast, I ordered a small salad.Reuben was already on his second helping of chili. His lean frame contradicted his zest for food.
    â€œYes. I explained what happened. She was upset but also relieved that the pictures didn’t go any farther than her computer. I’m thankful Zac admitted the truth about what he did.”
    I nodded. “I am too, but—”
    â€œYou’re not sure you can trust him now?”
    â€œExactly.”
    Reuben frowned. “He took a chance, you know. Telling you everything.”
    â€œI know.” I sighed and shook my head. “I have a very hard time trusting people.”
    â€œAnd why is that, Wynter? Someone hurt you?”
    I stared into his cobalt-blue eyes. “Long story. Not very interesting.”
    â€œIt is to me.”
    I cleared my throat to give myself a moment to think. How much should I tell this man? In the end, I went with the partial truth.
    â€œMy parents divorced when I was sixteen. The divorce left my mother scarred and my father absent. He remarried, got a new family, and walked out on his old one. I guess I’m not in a rush to